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What Are The Chances Of HIV After Oral Sex?

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Posted on Mon, 21 Jul 2014
Question: I was wondering if I am at risk for hiv if all i did was receive oral sex from a women. Im a 19 year old male. That is my only sexual encounter. I also deeply kissed her for around 45 mins before hand but didnt taste any blood or anything so im wondering how i could be at risk. this happened a year ago and since then i didnt have any symptoms until about the 3 month period but im starting to think they are mental because i see thats uncommon.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Kakkar (50 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
HIV testing required

Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome to healthcaremagic

I am Dr. Kakkar. I have gone through your query and I have understood it.

Kissing is considered to be relatively safe form of contact, moreover saliva is supposed to have anti-HIV properties.

Regarding the oral sex, I would like to know whether the oral sex was protected or was it unprotected? If indeed it was protected then it was safe. However if it was unprotected, there was direct mucosal to mucosal contact between the two of you, therefore it was'nt safe.

Nevertheless, Oral sex is still considered to carry a lesser risk of transmitting HIV as compared to vaginal or anal sex, provided she did'nt had any oral sores or ulcers/mucosal breaks in the mucosa.

Since, it has been more than a year from that sexual contact and is therefore well past the window period of HIV detection (which is 90 days), therefore testing for HIV antibodies would be conclusive in determining your the HIV Status. If it comes out to be negative, then you can be rest assured that you are clean.

Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Dr. Kakkar (6 minutes later)
It was indeed unprotected. I do understand the little risk it has but why is it that there has never been a reported case from it. If there hasn't been a reported case, why should i spend my money on getting tested? Also if there is "risk", which i have read there is theoretical risk, what are my odds for contracting the disease on that one night. I have also had no fever, headaches, muscle pain, weight loss or anything like that. Im just wondering why I should get tested if I see its practically a 100% chance I don't have it. I have also been tested for gonorrhea and clamydia and both came back negative. I really don't want to spend that much on testing. Would it be safe for me to only test for syphillis? Id ratehr not spend over $200 on something that has never been documented in over 30 years.
thanks
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Kakkar (4 hours later)
Brief Answer:
HIV Testing

Detailed Answer:
Hi.

The risk has is unclear and it is never reported because most patients who have oral sex also practice other forms of sex during the same encounter, therefore it is hard to estimate the exact risk from unprotected oral sex.

Whatever less the risk, but there is a genuine risk. e.g if we suppose the risk is 0.04% (1 in 2500) it does'nt mean that you can have sex 2499 times. It means that you can get infected even on the first risky exposure OR may be second and may be third and so on... So the risk is there with each exposure. Therefore the need to get tested even if you don't have symptoms

Hope this helps
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Dr. Kakkar (2 hours later)
I know they have done specific tests that only test oral sex among patients and they have never found one case from those either except from the person giving oral. I dont understand how im at any less risk than kissing if all im exposed to is saliva? and where did you get the 1 in 2500 risk from? ive never heard anything more than 1 in 20000 for receiving oral.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Kakkar (17 hours later)
Brief Answer:
HIV Risk from Oral sex

Detailed Answer:
Hi

Yes, I agree that the risk is very less but it is not an absolute Zero. Testing is a recommendation after every unprotected sexual contact/oral sex. However, it is your choice whether you want to get tested or not.

When I say 1 in 2500 risk, I was giving you an example. This is not true risk. The true risk is unknown because as I said before, most patients who have oral sex also practice other forms of sex during the same encounter, therefore it is hard to measure the exact risk from unprotected oral sex.

Regards
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
Answered by
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Dr. Dr. Kakkar

Dermatologist

Practicing since :2002

Answered : 9612 Questions

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What Are The Chances Of HIV After Oral Sex?

Brief Answer: HIV testing required Detailed Answer: Hello and welcome to healthcaremagic I am Dr. Kakkar. I have gone through your query and I have understood it. Kissing is considered to be relatively safe form of contact, moreover saliva is supposed to have anti-HIV properties. Regarding the oral sex, I would like to know whether the oral sex was protected or was it unprotected? If indeed it was protected then it was safe. However if it was unprotected, there was direct mucosal to mucosal contact between the two of you, therefore it was'nt safe. Nevertheless, Oral sex is still considered to carry a lesser risk of transmitting HIV as compared to vaginal or anal sex, provided she did'nt had any oral sores or ulcers/mucosal breaks in the mucosa. Since, it has been more than a year from that sexual contact and is therefore well past the window period of HIV detection (which is 90 days), therefore testing for HIV antibodies would be conclusive in determining your the HIV Status. If it comes out to be negative, then you can be rest assured that you are clean. Regards